Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/469

 APPENDIX, T .45?

infect. The Indians likewife informed me, that when they went to war againft the Floridians, they carried their cyprefs bark canoes from the head of St. John's black river, only about half a mile, when they launched them again into a deep river, which led down to a multitude of iflands to the N. W. of Cape Florida.


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As this colony is inconteftably much better fituated for tmde than Weft Florida, or the Miffifippi lands, it is furprifing that Britain does not improve the opportunity which offers, by adding to thefe unhealthy low grounds a fuf- ficient quantity of wafte high land to enable the fettlers, and their families, to Taife thofe ftaples (he wants. The Mufkohge who claim ir, might be offered, and they would accept, what it feems to be worth in its wild (late. Juftice to ourfelves and neighbours, condemns the Ihortening the planter's days, by confining their induftrious families to unhealthy low lands, when nature invites them to come out, to enjoy her bountiful gifts of health atid wealth, where only favage beads prey on one another, and the bloodier two-footed favages, ramble about to prey on them, or whatfoever falls in their way. Under thefe, and other prefling circumftances of a fimilar nature, does this part of Ame rica now labour. A weft north-weft courfe from the upper parts of Georgia to the Mifiifippi, would contain more fertile lands than are in all our colonies on the continent, ^aftward. As moft of thefe colonies abound with frugal and induftrious people, who are increafing very faft, and every year crowd ing more clofely together on exhaufted land, our rulers ought not to allow fo mifchievous and dangerous a body as the Mufkohge to ingrofs this vaft foreft, moftly for wild beafts. This haughty nation is directly in the way of our valuable fouthern colonies, and will check them from rifing to half the height of perfection, which the favourablenefs of the foil and climate allow, unlefs we give them fevere correction, or drive them over the Miffi- fippi, the firft time they renew their acts of hoftility againft us, without fufficient retaliation. At prefent, Weft Florida is nothing but an ex- pence to the public. The name amufes indeed, at a diftance ; but were it duly extended and fettled, it would become very valuable to Great Bri tain -, and Penfacola harbour would be then ferviceable alfo in a time of war with Spain, being in the gulph of Florida, and near to Cuba. Mobille is a black trifle. Its garrifori, and that at Penfacola, cannot be properly fupplied by their French neighbours though at a moft exorbitant price : and, on ac-

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